This test is perfect for Pirelli - Di Resta

The first day of the Young Driver Test saw James Calado complete his first-ever laps in a Formula One car in the morning session, while Paul Di Resta took over driving duties in the afternoon.

James Calado, VJM06-02, 28 laps, 1:33.986: “Getting to drive a Formula One car was a lifetime ambition and even coming to the track this morning was quite emotional. It was a completely different experience from what I am used to in GP2 but it took only a few laps to get a hold of it. I was able to set some sensible lap times and to give quite accurate feedback on the tyres within ten laps, which was quicker than I expected. I am here to do the best job possible and hopefully we will learn a few things from my work that can help Paul and Adrian in the rest of the season.”

Paul Di Resta, VJM06-02, 59 laps, 1:33.774: “The focus of the test is to help Pirelli get all the data necessary to understand the new tyres. It is very early days and we’ve only just started the programme so it’s hard to say too much. The conditions here are perfect for what Pirelli want to do, especially so soon after the Silverstone race. This is the ideal venue for them to learn as much as they can.”